Best Buy says no to the FCC’s analog TV fines

Posted May 20, 2008 at 06:51 PM by Zach Flauaus

Section: News, Video, Gadgets / Other

A while back the FCC started to issue fines to retailers that did not display signs on analog TV’s for sale that essentially read “This TV will not work in 2009 without a converter box.” Well, the first of the backlash has begin to come about and Best Buy is fighting back, claiming that the FCC has no power to issue these fines.

“Conduct that is accidental, or not known to the organization, is not willful,” Best Buy says.

Best Buy is refusing their $280,000 fine. They also said that the fines “demonstrate the unreasonableness, if not impossibility, of holding Best Buy to a standard of flawless compliance.” Whether their appeal will work or not has yet to be determined, but if this is even the slightest bit effective, you can better that other fined retailers will follow suit.

Via [ars technica] Read [FCC Filing (PDF Link)] Read [Best Buy’s Appeal (PDF Link)]